ANOTHER special needs school in Swindon has been plunged into special measures following a damning report from Ofsted.

The Stratton Education Centre Pupil Referral Unit, which provides schooling for 200 children who have been expelled or cannot go to mainstream school, has been judged inadequate by the education watchdog.

Last week the Adver reported how Nyland Special School has been placed under special measures after Ofsted warned classrooms were unsafe for pupils and staff.

Ofsted said the Pupil Referral Unit (PRU), which runs eight centres in Swindon, is failing to give children a decent education and described management as weak. Inspectors found standards across the centres were inconsistent.

The report said: “The lack of consistency in provision results from the weaknesses in leadership. Although the day-to-day management of the great majority of the centres is good, they operate independently.”

Inspectors also found accommodation was poor and students and Year 10 and 11 students could not do science at the Stratton Education Centre because of the lack of facilities.

Dick Mattick, the assistant secretary for the teachers' union, NAS, said: “I feel sorry for the staff – a lot of them are working very hard with difficult pupils but are not been given the proper accommodation to do the job.

“The problem is so much of the accommodation is not fit for purpose, including Riverside in Queens Drive and the Stratton Education Centre.

“The PRU would not be in special measures if it was based in facilities like Brimble Hill School and Chalet School.”

The inspectors highlighted different part of the PRU as failing – such as the Youth Education Project where education was found to be unsatisfactory. Inspectors also told management safeguarding regulations were not being followed at the Swindon Creative Education Project Centre.

A Swindon Council spokeswoman said “We accept the findings of Ofted’s report into the Stratton Education Centre Pupil Referral Unit, and action is being taken to address the weaknesses identified by the inspectors.”

The council has appointed an interim executive board to oversee improvements needed and support staff. The spokeswoman said the council had fixed all the safeguarding problems at the Swindon Creative Education Project and put in extra staff at the Youth Education Project.

The council plans to restructure Stratton Education Centre following the a review of education for problem children.

The spokeswoman added: “Weaknesses identified by Ofsted with the curriculum are being addressed.

“Opportunities for pupils to study science are being developed, and more teaching time for primary aged pupils who are permanently excluded from school is planned.”

The Ofsted report also had praise for the PRU: “The Pupil Referral Unit benefits from a hardworking and committed staff who have ensured that in seven centres the progress made by many students is often good.”